Dean's Thank You
by sherbsherb
Summary: Buffy receives some unexpected but never unwelcome visitors after being resurrected. I changed the rating for minimal swearing.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own neither Buffy nor Supernatural, I am simply an enthusiast with too much time on her hands and a leprechaun for a muse.

A/N: Okay, so I've taken a couple of liberties with the ages of Dawn and Sam and I'm not even going to try to explain it cause honestly there is no possible way this could happen, but any who. Dawn's 18 and we're gonna say Sam is around 23, which I realize puts him in about season one of Supernatural, but this is written during season six of Buffy anytime before "Once More with Feeling" and season four of Supernatural, but I'm not sure which episode. Just know that it's before Sam finds out Dean remembers everything from his time in The Pit. If you think that you can over look all of those timeline flaws then enjoy this little ditty, but if they'll bother you too much, well you can try the story, really not much to the whole age difference thing, but it still sticks out occasionally so you decide. Okay, that's all I've got to ramble about, enjoy

It was raining again, like it had every other night for the last week, and like every other night it's rained, I'm patrolling the cemetery, alone. It really wouldn't be all that bad if it weren't raining, I'd gotten pretty used to walking through Sunnydale's cemeteries by myself, especially as of late. The gang had other things to worry about, that is why they'd brought me back, because they couldn't handle their lives and the slaying as well. Not that I was resentful or anything. I snort out loud at the thought. Why would I be resentful? It's not like they pulled me from heaven expecting me to fall right back in line and take up all the duties I had been too tired to continue in the beginning or the end I suppose. That had been a deciding factor in my jumping. I'd come to the conclusion that I was done spending every day of my life fighting, I was tired.

I'm not paying any attention to my surroundings and step into an ankle deep mud puddle on one of the many paths through the grave yard. Muttering to myself I shake off my booted heel, mad that my new boots got dirty and glad that I hadn't been wearing sneakers, I would have been dealing with a wet sock had that been the case. I'm studying my boot so closely that I fail to notice the shadow creep up behind me and before I know it, I'm looking up at a vampire from the ground, the water soaking in through the back of my black hoodie and jeans from the same puddle I'd just stepped in. "You have got to be kidding me." I grumble up at the vamp, trying to focus on him through the rain falling into my eyes.

"Just trying to keep you on your toes slayer." Spike smirks down at me, offering me a hand to pull myself up out of the mud.

"Thanks Spike, but next time you can just say 'boo' or something." I say glaring at him from under the hood of my shirt, thankful that at least my hair wasn't a sopping wet mess, yet. "You didn't need to get me soaking wet." He grins at me, his eyebrows raised in a suggestive manner. I shove his shoulder and move passed him to continue on patrol. "Don't be so perverted." He just chuckles as he falls into step beside me, inviting himself to join me. I didn't mind the company most of the time and right now seemed as though it would be one of the times I didn't. "How are you not cringing in pain for tripping me back there?" I ask him after a couple of silent minutes pass with us simply walking.

He smiles down at me putting his hands in the pockets of his ever present duster. "Didn't intend to hurt you pet, was going for a bit of a chuckle."

"You're such an ass." I tell him, hiding my smile behind my hood.

"Yeah." He says, shrugging and grinning down at me. "But you still enjoy my company."

I just laugh quietly to myself, unable to disagree with him. "And how is it your out on a night like this, creeping around a cemetery?" I ask him, gesturing with my hands toward the rainy night sky.

"Was on my way to get some blood when I caught your scent," He tells me, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. "and I figured it would be more fun to walk around with you than to walk to the butchers."

"Oh." I say, a little taken aback by his honesty. "Well, I suppose the company will be nice, even if it is you." I tell him, my slight smile showing in my voice. I look at him out of the corner of my eye as we continue to walk, finally noticing that he too is soaked through his dark clothes, with water dripping off his hair and down his neck, disappearing under his shirt. "Isn't that uncomfortable?" I ask him, gesturing at the water when he looks at me questioningly.

He shakes his head no. "I don't even notice it."

"Huh." I say, still watching him. He really didn't seem bothered at all by the water pouring down in buckets around us.

We continued to patrol in a companionable silence for a couple more hours without any action before I decide I need to head home. "I'm gonna go home." I tell him, speaking for the first time in hours. "There isn't any evil happening tonight and I told Dawn I wouldn't be gone all night again tonight."

He nods his head and silently points us in the direction of my house, apparently deciding he was going to walk me home. Which again surprised me. Not that he would walk me home, but that I didn't object to it. Lately I'd rather be alone than with anyone else. It's a short walk and when the house comes into sight I can see that the lights are on in the living room and through the curtains I can see a shadow pacing back and forth in front of the couch. Spike stops me just as we're about to step up onto the porch, pointing to the shape of a car parked on the sidewalk in front. He studies the black car for a long moment before letting out a soft whistle. "Wonder whose baby that is?"

I take a closer look at it and realize it looks familiar. "Is that an Impala?" I ask Spike, glancing up at him still drooling over the car.

"Yep." He confirms, never taking his eyes off the beauty. "1967 if I'm not mistaken. How'd you know that Love?" He asks me, finally looking away to give me a questioning glance.

"Because I know that car." I tell him before I turn back to the door, skipping the steps entirely, and pushing open the door, Spike right behind me. We stand in the foray at the foot of the stair unnoticed taking in the scene in my living room while I remove my hoodie and quietly take off my boots. Two guys are lounging on my couch, one of them wearing an olive green army jacket and has his boots on my coffee table his companion, the one with the shaggy blonde hair is sitting as politely as he can next to his sprawled out cohert while Anya stands next to the fireplace filing her nails and Xander paces in front of them, occasionally glaring in their direction.

After a minute Spike can't seem to help himself and he chuckles at Xander when he grumbles to himself causing everyone to look over at us. I offer the room a small smile as the two men on the couch stand up, the looks on their faces are pure amazement. My smile grows slightly as I take in just how much taller the blonde one is and just how short the other looks standing next to the giant of a man. "Hey guys." I say, breaking the tense silence, giving them a small wave from the doorway.

The freakishly tall Sam is the first to make a move, taking two strides to come to stand in front of me and wrapping me in a fierce hug, effectively picking my feet up off the ground and causing me to put my arms around his neck and giggle slightly. When he finally releases me I take a step back to look up at him. "You definitely grew while you were in college." I tease him, smiling at the blush that paints his cheeks and makes him duck his head.

"Cheerleader." I hear Dean say hesitantly from behind Sam, who steps aside to let him get a better view of me. "It really you? No one hitching a ride in your skin is there?" He asks me, never one to get his hopes up without truth and reason to back them up.

"Nah. Just lil ol' me." I tell him, meeting his intense eyes for the first time. "There was a piggy backer, but we took care of that and there weren't any other consequences either." I say, reassuring him as much as I can. Dean always did hate witch craft and if he knew I was back then he probably knew that magic had been involved in some form.

He nods his head once before he too takes the few steps to reach me and pulls me against him, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist and my arms around his neck keeping him touching me. He buries his face in my hair and I can feel him pulling in deep breaths as though trying to memorize my scent again and I lay my face against his neck, relishing in the feel of his hot skin on my cheek. He whispers my name into my hair and I can hear the tears he's holding back making me pull him nearer to me wanting to let him know that I was real and I was here, he could stop mourning for me now.

Xander clears his throat from where he's standing with Anya making Dean and I pull away, Dean finally noticing Spike standing behind me. He looks at me with his eyebrows raised and I just shake my head, there's too much to go into right now where Spike is concerned so instead Dean moves to stand on my left next to Sam as Spike steps up to take my right, subconsciously trying to protect me from Xander. He still hasn't forgiven them for not confiding in him with their plans, even not knowing where I was he wouldn't have let them go through with it, which now that I think about it, was probably why I was so comfortable around him now where as I don't like to be in a room with Xander or Willow anymore. "Buffy, who are these guys?" he asks me, anger and confusion in his voice. Xander never did handle not being in the know when it came to, well anything really. He hates being the last to know and he hates surprises, especially in the form of hot guys from my past. "They just showed up an hour ago, Dawn let them in against my wishes and all anyone will tell me is that they know you."

"These two guys are Dean and Sam Winchester." I tell him, pointing at them each in turn. "Dean, Sam, this is Xander, Anya and Spike." Sam nods his head in greeting, but Dean continues to glare at Xander, apparently he'd picked up on the tension and hostility in the room.

"How do you know them?" He asks me. "Why are they here? Why haven't we heard about them?" He's started flailing his arms with each question forcing Anya to take a step back to avoid being inadvertently hit with a rouge gesture.

"I met them in L.A. when I was training with Merrick. They're dad was really close with him so we spent a lot of time together before everything happened." I explain, leaving out the fact that when I went to my "dads" every summer, I was really traveling around with them, and when I ran away, I was hunting with them. "You haven't heard about them because they prefer to keep an extremely low profile, comes from being wanted by the FBI. As for why their here, you'd have to ask them cause I have no clue." I finish talking to him and look up at Dean, the question written all over my face I'm sure.

He shrugs, meeting my eyes. "Well Sam came because he wanted to see if the rumors where true, if you'd really been brought back from the dead. Me, I came to say thank you."

"Thank you?" I ask him and I hear it echoed from Sam and Xander both. "Why would you be thanking me?"

Without saying anything he slips off his jacket and pulls the left side of his dark blue t-shirt down over his shoulder to reveal a scarred hand print. "Castiel told me." He says simply. Everything suddenly makes sense to me and tears well up in my eyes.

"What?" Sam asks him, sounding almost as confused as every other person in the room is. "What does Castiel have to do with Buffy?"

With a deep breath I fight down the tears that are threatening to spill out at the mention of my once close friend and the reminder of my time in heaven that nobody knows about except apparently Dean. I look away from Dean to address Sam. "Cause I'm the one that asked Cas to pull Dean from hell. When I got there I was offered one favor for sacrificing my life. I considered it for a long time, probably only weeks here on earth but closer to months or years where I was, and finally after finding out that Dean had sold his soul for you I made my request. I asked that Dean not suffer for having given up his life for his brother. They deliberated for a long time, making me worry that even if they did do it, Dean would be too far gone to be human anymore, but eventually they granted it. Castiel was my companion in heaven and he offered to be the angel to bring him out so that I could watch through his eyes."

Sam looks at me, astonishment glowing in his eyes. "You're the one that got Dean out of the pit?" His voice is low.

I nod my head. "I couldn't leave him down there, and after seeing what Cas did," I shudder at the horrible memories, the only thing in my heaven that had ever been bad. "I'm glad that I made my request and even more glad that they granted it." I turn my head to look at Dean, but he's looking at the floor in shame. I reach out and lift his chin with my hand and force him to make eye contact with me, I almost flinch at the self hatred that runs through his eyes. "I don't blame you for anything you did down there." I whisper so only he can hear me. "You only did what you had to, to survive. I've been to a hell, I know how they tear your identity away, how they rip you down until you don't know right from wrong anymore. You did what you had to so that you could keep some part of yourself." I press a gentle kiss to his forehead. "If you hadn't done what you did, Sam would have gotten back a shell of his brother, so don't hate yourself. I've done a lot of stupid things and hurt a lot of people Dean, but everything I've done has led me here and eventually it all gets forgiven. Forgive yourself, I already have and Sam would in a heartbeat." There are tears pooling in his eyes and he offers me a small watery smile, in response I pull him into another hug. "I can't believe Cas can't keep a secret though." I tell him, my voice back to a more normal volume. "I asked him, several times, to not tell you that I was the one that got you out of your deal." I shake my head. "He is such a gossip mongrel."

Dean chuckles at me and shakes his head. "Yeah I can just picture him standing around the water cooler exchanging stores with the secretaries."

"Oh sure," I say grinning at him now. "Don't believe me. But mark my words, you ever confide in Castiel and he will be telling someone about it before the night it over. Can't keep a secret for the life of him, don't know how he got to be such a high ranking angel."

"Buffy?" Xander says my name, trying to get my attention. With a sigh I turn to acknowledge him. "How do you know an angel? Why was Dean in hell? How did you save him? I'm so confused right now." He runs his hands through his already disheveled hair. "Please tell me what's going on." His eyes are pleading with me now.

I take a deep breath and glance around the room at the other occupants. "I will Xan, I'll tell you everything. Tomorrow. Right now I'm exhausted and I'm sure Sam and Dean drove an extraordinarily long way to get here so lets all head off to bed and we'll call a Scooby meeting tomorrow after Dawn gets out of school. That way I only have to explain this once."

He looks as though he's going to argue with me when Anya yanks on his shirt sleeve. "Come on Xander, I wanna go home and have intercourse before it gets too late. I have to open the magic box in the morning." With a shake of his head he grabs his coat and him and Anya say a few mumbled goodbyes before heading out the front door.

Spike puts his hand on my shoulder, turning my focus to him. "I'm gonna head out too. Still have to get to the butchers tonight."

I nod my head in agreement and call his name before he can get out the door. "You'll be at the meeting tomorrow right?" I ask him. "I'm going to need all the support I can get, there's going to be a lot of heavy stuff being said tomorrow and I need someone there who I know wont be judging me." His eyes alight with something close to astonishment as he nods his head in confirmation before closing the door behind him, leaving me alone in the living room with Dean and Sam.

"So," I say, trying to break the suddenly awkward silence that seems to have desended upon us. "There's a couch and a cot in the basement. Plenty of blankets and pillows so you two can fight it out on who gets what while I go grab them." I turn to head into the kitchen to get the cot from the basement when Dean grabs my arm, turning me to face him.

"Thank you Buffy." I smile at him and tilt my head to the left.

"There is no need to thank me Dean. The second I knew you were there, I had to find a way to pull you out. Even if I hadn't been in heaven, you wouldn't have stayed there. Just like you would never let me stay." I tell him and my heart swells slightly at the love that shines in the depths of his beautiful eyes for me. After a moment I turn away and head to the kitchen, listening as Dean and Sam start a round of rock, paper, scissors to determine who gets the couch, I have to smile. No matter how often life takes the rug out from under you and you're forced to start all over, Dean and Sam had always been a constant for me. It never mattered if it had been months since I'd spoken to them, if I called and needed them, they would show up on my doorstep ready to take me anywhere I wanted to go for the day, week, month it never mattered to them. No matter what they were going through, didn't matter how screwed up their lives got, they were always the same two brothers I loved so completely. Thinking about it, I'm actually surprised they hadn't run into a Scooby by accident sooner. They used to come by once a month or so when I first moved to Sunnydale, and a lot of the time they would take me and Dawn to L.A. for the day just to hang out.

I sigh as I reach the basement and start rummaging through all the storage containers shoved in corners trying to find the cot behind one of them. After locating it behind a box of Mom's old craft stuff there's a loud 'thump' from upstairs and all I can do is laugh and shake my head. Always the same no matter how much they changed, always.


	2. Chapter 2

Here it is, chapter 2. I've really come to love this story and I'm pretty proud, so thank you to those who reviewed. Copper has actually been pretty cooperative with this one so we're almost done, one more chapter and MAYBE an epilogue, I haven't decided if I'll just make chapter three a little longer than the rest or if I'll try to find a place to stop and start a new chapter. Any who, here you guys go, hope you enjoy, lemme know what you think with reviews.

The next day I let Dawn ditch school so that her and I can spend all day with Dean and Sam. We make them breakfast first thing in the morning and Dean's eyes almost pop out of his head at all the food we set out for them saying that the last home cooked meal they'd had was the last time they came down after John's death and Dawn and I made them all the food they could eat for three days. After breakfast the four of us spent the remainder of the afternoon bowling, our favorite thing to do when we prefer to ignore all the things we know we need to talk about, where Dean and I kicked Sam and Dawn butts. On our way to the Magic Box we grab ice cream and Dean decrees that we have to walk cause there's no way we're having the sticky concoction in his baby and now we're sitting around the tables teasing each other about one of the many times we'd all gone to the batting cages waiting for everyone else to show up while Anya watches us like a hawk to make sure we don't get any ice cream on the merchandise.

Spike is the first to arrive, coming in through the basement and leaning against the counter next to Anya, watching us from a distance. I turn to smile and wave at him when I hear him come in and Dawn offers a cheerful hello before we go back to imitating Dean repeatedly getting whacked with the soft ball. Xander, Willow and Tara all come in together as Dean starts to make fun of Sam hitting himself in the back of the head with the bat and me and Dawn have our heads resting on the table holding our stomachs with tears rolling down our faces at the impression and Sam's beat red grinning face.

"Hey guys." I manage to gasp out between gulps of air acknowledging the three standing in the doorway, staring slack jawed at the four of us sitting around one of the tables.

"Buffy…I…who…what…" Willow stutters at my drastic change in temperament. Since I'd gotten back it was a rare occasion for them to see a real smile, and here I was doubled over in genuine laughter with two strangers.

Taking deep breaths I manage to get my breathing back under control and my laughter dwindles down to soft giggles. "Will, Tara, this is Dean and Sam Winchester, some really old friends of ours." Dean and Sam wave at them still wiping tears from their eyes.

"Who are they?" She asks me before turning back to look at Xander who had gone to stand next to Anya behind the counter. "Why didn't you tell me about them? We walked all the way here and you didn't say a word!"

"Willow." Tara says gently, putting a hand on her back. "Calm down Honey, I'm sure they'll tell us everything."

"Yeah, we'll tell you everything." I say, still smiling, trying to calm Willow down before she did anything she might later regret.

I watch her take a couple of deep breaths and her hands stop shaking before she nods at me. "Who are they? And how do you know them?"

I stand from the table and gesture at my chair, inviting Will to sit down. She takes my seat, Tara, Anya, Xander and Spike follow her and gather behind her chair to look at me as I move to stand behind Dean. "Like I said, this is Dean and Sam Winchester. They're some really old friends of mine, and by extension Dawn. I met them through my first watcher, Merrick, when I was first called. They we're in L.A. with their dad for about a month or so and after they left we kept in touch. While they were there Mom kind of adopted them as her own and we all got really close." I tell the room, my hand resting comfortingly on Dean's left shoulder, over Castiel's handprint. "There's a lot more to our story than that, but it would take too much time to go into it right now."

"Okay, so why are they here?" Willow asks.

I sigh before I continue. "Well from what they said last night, they're here to confirm that I really wasn't dead anymore and to make sure that I'm neither possessed or a brain eater."

"That's not all they said last night Buff." Xander interjects from his place behind Willow.

"I know Xand." I tell him, before taking another deep breath. "Dean came down not to see that I was alive, but to thank me."

"What does he have to thank you for?" Tara asks shyly, offering me a small smile.

"Well umm," I start, stuttering slightly. "He wanted to thank me for getting him pulled out of Hell."

"How did you get him pulled from Hell?" Anya asks me. "From my understanding there's only two things that can get a soul from Hell. Especially one that was sold. That would be an angel and The Powers That Be."

"Yeah, you're not wrong." I say quietly, affirming Anya's theory. "And for the record it was an angel that pulled him out of Hell."

"See, that's where I get lost." Xander says, getting my attention again. "How do you know an angel? And who owed you a favor?"

"What?" Willow asks, looking over her shoulder at Xander. "What do you mean favor?"

"Well you see, Castiel is the angel that pulled Dean from Hell, and he did so because I was granted one favor and that was what I asked for." I look down at the top of his head before looking over at Sam, who is looking at me with all the appreciation I'm sure Dean is to man to show. "As for how I know him, I told you that last night Xand, he was my companion."

"But what does that mean?" He asks, his voice stressed.

"It means he was her guide in Heaven." Anya pipes up again, this time causing everyone to look at her. "He was assigned to help her assimilate and apparently help her decide what she wanted as her favor. Which I'm guessing, was for all the things she sacrificed fighting evil"

I can't help but smile gratefully at Anya, she unwittingly just told everyone what I had been to scared to say out loud. She nods her head very slightly, letting me know she understands what she did for me. "What!" Willow finally says, breaking the now tense silence and turning back to look at me.

I clear my throat before I address the room. "Okay, so I wasn't in Hell like you guys thought I was. To be a bit more specific, I wasn't in Heaven either, it was more of a waiting room, it was were I was sent to make my decision and my adjustment from the corporeal plane to the non-corporeal. Contrary to what you might think, it's pretty disconcerting moving from this plane to that one. And Anya's right, Castiel was my guide through all of it. He was there to lead me through the adjustment."

"You were in Heaven?" Xander asks quietly, disbelief in his voice.

"You thought a champion of the light would be sent anywhere else?" Dean says, speaking up for the first time, his voice tinted with anger.

"You were in Hell!" Willow says accusingly, pointing her finger at Dean. "When she jumped into a portal to a hell dimension how where we not supposed to assume that she was in Hell?"

"Because you idiots," Dean says, standing from his chair and leaning toward Willow, his fists resting on the table. "Slayers don't go to Hell. Anyone who sacrifices themselves for the good of the world is always rewarded with Heaven. Any moron would know that."

"Then why where you there?" Xander asks.

Dean sighs and sits back down in his chair, placing his hand over mine on his shoulder. "I sold my soul to a crossroads demon. Doesn't matter how much good you do or how many people you save, you owe a demon your soul, you go to Hell."

Everyone is quiet for a moment, silently contemplating all that's been said so far. "Anya?" Xander asks, breaking the silence. "How did you know he sold his soul?"

"Are you kidding me?" She asks him, raising her eyebrows. "Dean Winchester sold his soul to save his brother and only got a year out of it, every demon in the country was talking about it. Some where worried about the wrath of Sam, but most just celebrated the death of another Winchester. I'd have to have been deaf not to catch word of it. I'm surprised Spike didn't."

Spike shrugs when everyone looks over at him. "I didn't really mingle with the demon population this past summer, had more important things to worry about. But I do remember the excitement over a John Winchester couple years back."

I hear Sam's intake of breath and feel Dean stiffen under my hand. I squeeze his shoulder and I see Dawn give Sam an awkward one armed hug from where she's still sitting next to him. "You heard about Dad?" Sam asks Spike.

"Yeah, what was it two years ago?" Spike says, turning to talk to Sam. "It was round about the time I was looking for the Ring of Amara so when my idiot minions threw a party I had to explain to Harm why they were so excited."

"Did you party?" Dean asks him, malice dripping from his voice.

"Can't say that I did." Spike tells him shrugging his shoulders in his duster. "I was too busy trying to kill the Slayer to bother celebrating a hunter I'd never come across dying."

"You were trying to kill Buffy?" Sam speaks up again. "Why?"

"Cause I'm a big bag evil vampire." Spike says, mocking him.

"What!" Dean yells, standing from his chair and turning around to glare at me. "One vampire trying to kill you from inside your group wasn't enough? You had to go find yourself another one?"

I straighten my back, barely noticing the guilty look that passes through Spike's eyes across the table. "Spike, is not Angel, and you will do well to remember that Dean Winchester. He may have been trying to kill me, but he's changed since then. He's a better man, a man I trust not only with my life but Dawn's life as well. Besides, you of all people should remember the depth of my forgiveness." I watch as Dean's anger slowly recedes and he steps back from me, his body language screaming how sorry he is and again I register the change in emotion in Spike's eyes across the table. He's stunned that I could say such nice things about him after all the horrible things I've said in the past and its my turn to feel guilty about the way I've treated him. I glance around Dean to make eye contact with Spike. "I forgave him a long time ago for his countless transgressions and he's one of my closest friends now."

"I'm sorry Buff." Dean says quietly getting my attention again. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that, I really need to learn to remove my foot from my mouth before I talk to you about who you trust."

I smile gently at him and push him back down into his chair. "It's okay Dean. No real harm then no real foul. Although, you really shouldn't compare Spike to Angel, he tends to get a little uppity about it. Not a big fan of Deadboy."

"Damn straight I'm no fan of Captain Hairgel." Spike says, puffing up slightly.

"Oh don't say that like you didn't used to want to be just like him." Xander says, goading Spike.

"Maybe, but as soon as he got his bloody soul, he was too much of a pansy for anyone to look up to." Spike tells him, surprising me by not actually being angry. Him and Xander where joking, with each other. Did I fall asleep and wake up in some alternate universe?

"Yeah yeah. What ever you say Bleach Wonder." Xander says, expertly ending the "conversation" by turning back to Dean and I. "So, why did you sell your soul?"

Dean shrugs, trying to act nonchalant about it and by the look on Sam's face I can see why. Sam still feels guilty about everything that happened. I can imagine it's not an easy thing to watch your brother be dragged to Hell by invisible Hellhounds, watching from my waiting room had been hard enough. "Why did Buffy jump?"

"To save Dawn." Willow says, not making the connection. "But what does that have to do with your soul?"

Dean looks at me sideways his expression asking if she's being serious. I just grin at him and nod. "My soul didn't have anything to do with Dawn, but I did it for Sam."

Willow gets an "Oh." Look on her face as realization dawns slowly. "But why did Sam need you to sell your soul?" Xander asks, still oblivious.

"Because he died and I couldn't live without him." Dean answers and I can feel his shoulder tense under my hand and Sam drops his eyes, his hands fisting on the table in front of him. My friends really know how to bring up every soar subject don't they?

"So you sold your soul to bring him back?" Tara's soft voice asks, causing me to look at her, her eyes are soft with understanding and sympathy. Some how, even with strangers she knew how gentle to be without offending them.

Dean looks at her for the first time since she came in, probably noticing her for the first time as well, and I watch as his angry expression melts at her tender demeanor and he nods his head. "Yeah."

"Wow," Dawn says from where she still has an arm wrapped around Sam's broad shoulders. "you and Buffy really are two peas in a pod aren't you."

Dean smiles and chuckles at her attempt to lighten the mood in the room. "You know it Sunshine. Always with the self sacrifice, but you know, if you and the Beanstalk over there could manage to stay out of trouble once in a while, we wouldn't have to work nearly as hard to keep you safe."

"That's true." I say, joining in on the teasing. "Maybe you two shouldn't have come down here. You know they attract even more danger when they're together. I can't count the amount of times you guys came to visit for a day or two where you and I ended up having to spend most of the time tracking down whoever kidnapped them that week."

"Oh come on Buffy." Sam says, finally raising his eyes from the table with a smile on his lips to look at me. "I haven't been kidnapped in a long time."

"That's not true Sammy." Dean interjects happily. "Didn't that Wendigo hold you hostage a couple of weeks ago?"

"That so does not count." Sam says. "I got out of that one myself. Even managed to kill her before you got there."

"You were still taken from a diner and tied to a chair." Dean tells him, realaxing back into his chair for the first time since this conversation started, and I can't help the urge to run my hands through his disheveled locks. Always a sucker for soft brown hair, his anyway. "It counts."

"Whatever dude." Sam huffs pretending to be annoyed, but the smile doesn't seem to leave his face.

"Ha." Dawn laughs at Sam. "I haven't been kidnapped in months!" she tells him triumphantly. "I'm soo beating you. Can't believe you got kidnapped by a Wendigo though, thought you guys were good at hunting them."

"We are." Sam says defending himself. "She caught me off guard during a uhh, personal moment, and knocked me out before I could do anything to protect myself."

This time I laugh at Sam's red face. "She napped you while you were taking a pee? That's got to be the best one yet!"

"I still maintain that Dawn's Ice Cream Debacle last year beats that." Sam states, grinning at Dawn. "I mean, who gets kidnapped because they have brain freeze?"

"Wait." Xander pipes up, and I turn to him, slightly ashamed I'd pretty much forgotten the four of us weren't alone. "Dawn was kidnapped last year and you never told any of us?"

"We found her right away." I tell him, shrugging my shoulders. "The demon didn't manage to get very far with her, in fact I think when we caught up with him like four blocks away, he was ready to get rid of her already. Just kept murmuring about stupid humans with brain freeze and practically threw her at us, right before we killed it of course."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Willow asks, her voice sounding offended.

"When the Winchesters are in town, we handle everything ourselves. They don't like other people in their business and we all work well together." I tell her. "We have a system, a routine, down and it's a very well oiled machine, just like us only different." I try to explain to her, but how do you tell you best friends that as close as you've always been, you're closer with two other people they've never met, let alone heard of. How do you let them know that these two, mostly, human men know more about you, you're habits and all of your little idiosyncrasies. "When Sam and Dawn get kidnapped, me and Dean don't tell anyone else because we never need their help, we've been handling it since, well we started with Sam when we first met and then when Dawn found out about the Slayer gig a couple of years later we got pretty good at her as well. Over the years they've learned to leave trails or hints, and now Dean and I just track their cell phones. Sadly, their kidnappings have become so normal that we rarely worry to much about it. Glory being the exception with Dawn and Azazel for Sam." I tell her, before turning to look at Dean. "Speaking of, whatever happened there?"

"Uhh, well." Dean says, glancing at the people gathered at the table. "Azazel finally made his move and took Sam a couple of months ago. Took me a couple of hours or so, but I tracked him down and that's the last we've heard of him."

"I take it there's more to that story?" I ask Sam, who's eyes turn shameful again and nods his head in confirmation. "Does it have something to do with.." I nod my head down at Dean, who's staring intently at the his hands on the table, causing me to notice that the scar he got from the time a vamp tried to stab him in the chest and his hand got in the way, is gone.

Dean's the one that mumbles a yes, effectively telling me that he doesn't want to discuss this with everyone here. "So, how long are you guys going to be in town?" Xander asks them.

"A day or two, not really sure. We're kind of in limbo as to what we're doing right now." Dean tells him, looking back at me for a second.

"Well, as usual and always, you guys are more than welcome to stay with Dawn and I until you decide it's time to go." I lean over and ruffle Sam's hair, causing him to jerk away and pretend to fix it. "We can even set up my old bed in my old room if you guys want, that way someone doesn't have to cot it."

"Buff?" Xander says. "Who's gonna patrol tonight if you're busy with these guys?"

I almost growl at him for bothering to ask me. Like his life was so much more important than mine that he couldn't take one night this week to patrol, but I didn't want to cause anymore uproar than I already have today so I repressed the urge, though by the look in Spike's eye I could tell he knew what I was thinking and he was trying to hide his grin. "Me and Spike will patrol as soon as it's dark and these three hooligans can put up the bed and play games while I'm out." I turn to Sam and Dawn grinning from their seats. "Meaning, you two are NOT to leave the house. I do not want to spend the first time we've been together in like eight months, hunting you guys down, got it?"

"Yes Buffy." They answer me in unison, their grins never leaving their faces. Even with a five year age difference, those two really were far too close and far too much alike for anyone's own good. All I can do is shake my head at Dean, who is also trying to suppress a grin at them.

"Come on guys." I say, moving back away from the table. "Lets head out, maybe pick up some take-out and watch a couple of movies or walk around and play the stranger game for a while before I have to patrol."

"The stranger game?" Tara asks as we all move around the table and the crowd of my friends still milling around digesting all their new knowledge.

"Yeah, the stranger game." Dawn tells her. "We walk around town stopping strangers on the street to ask them random questions to see who can get more people to answer them instead of just walking away. It's not nearly as fun in Sunnydale as it was in L.A. cause everyone here is way more suspicious, but it's still amusing."

"Why haven't we ever played that game?" Willow asks me, her pout in her voice.

"Because it was a game Dean and I came up with to keep Sam and Dawn from bugging us when we had to wait for John to show up somewhere." I tell her, shaking my head and taking Dean's hand in mine. "Besides, you and I always played Anywhere But Here and we never needed something to occupy Dawn with." I turn my attention to Spike, still standing next to Xander with his hands in his ever present duster. "Pick me up after sundown." He nods his head, seemingly still amused by my almost growl at Xander. "See the rest of you guys later." I tell them, leading the four of us out the door, pulling Dean by the hand and waving over my shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Alright guys, here it is, the final chapter. A little longer than the others but I just couldn't find a place to end that would leave me with enough to say for another chapter. **

**Time to give shout outs to the few reviews I got. Thank you blue blonde and noturbaby, I'm glad you guys like the story, it's pretty much mine and Copper's favorite.**

**Mmooch- I'm glad you loved the story. I never felt it was right the way the Scoobies treated Buffy after she came back, they took her for granted, even after they knew where she'd been.**

**Kay, enjoy and feel free to review, reviews are ALWAYS welcome, some weeks I'm soo broke it's the only pay Copper gets for being my muse.**

"**Seriously guys." I yell at Dawn and Sam still in my old room as I make my way down the stairs. "If you keep jumping on the bed Sam wont have anywhere to sleep tonight and then I'm gonna make both of you sleep outside." I pause for a second to listen to Dawn squeal before I realize my mistake. "No, I'll make you two sleep in the basement! You two would get taken if I let you sleep outside" I smile to myself as Dawn's groan makes it's way to my sensitive ears and I reach the landing in front of the door to let Spike in. I can't help but grin as he looks at me, his hair once again soaking wet from the rain outside, he looks so innocent standing there with water dripping off of him. He shakes his head, displacing water all over my front door offering me a smirk before stepping inside, closing the door behind him and proceeding to drip water all over the carpet.**

"**Evening Love." He greets me, his smirk never leaving his face even though he knows it's driving me nuts that he's getting water everywhere.**

"**Must you?" I ask him, my annoyance evident in my voice, gesturing at the mud that's starting to pool beneath his boots.**

**He looks down, as though he's just noticing the mess he's purposely making. "Ya know," he says, looking back up at me. "I think I must. You know me Pet, anything to get a reaction out of you."**

**I can't help but smile at his answer and I shake my head again. "Wait here and I'll go get my jacket. Do Not! Move from that spot!" I tell him, pointing to where his feet are currently planted. His only answer is to grin at me, shift his weight from one foot to the other and nod his head. Grumbling to myself I make my way back upstairs to put on my black hoodie, the same one as the night before and stuff a couple of stakes in the front pocket. I stop at the door to my old room leaning in to look at Sam and Dawn still bouncing on the bed tossing pillows back and forth at each other and Dean sitting in an old rocking chair in the corner silently watching them with a look of pure amusement on his face. "Guys." I say, getting their attention and causing the two on the bed to stop mid jump trying to look as virtuous as they can. "I'm headed out on patrol, be back in a couple of hours. Dean, don't let Dawn convince you that she can cook dinner, she really can't. Just order pizza and don't let them break my bed.**

**He smiles at me and nods his head. "Have a pleasant patrol."**

"**Have fun babysitting these two." I tell him, pointing at Dawn and Sam still standing on the bed trying their hardest to look as innocent as humanly possible. "She's only gotten more rambunctious since I was brought back, so enjoy." His smiles slips from his lips and he groans. I laugh at him and head back down the stairs, noticing that the bed springs start to creak again as they start jumping as soon as I'm out of sight. I reach Spike standing exactly where I left him looking at me expectantly. "Ready?"**

"**If you are Love." He answers me.**

"**Lets go. The sooner we leave the sooner I can come home to a broken bed and three people who will claim to have no idea how it happened." I tell him, reaching around him to open the door and gesture for him to step out. I follow him out, pulling the hood up over my head and looking out at the dark wet night. "You think this rain is ever going to stop?" I ask Spike conversationally still standing on the porch under the relative safety of the small roof.**

"**Hope so." He answers, standing next to me and putting his hands in his pockets, staring out at the street. "It's no fun sleeping under ground when it rains. Makes things muddy, and it's a bloody pain to wash muddy cloths all the time."**

**We stand there looking out into the dark night in a comfortable silence for several minutes before I speak again. "Alright, enough procrastinating, lets go." With a sigh, we step off the porch into the warm rain and start a slow silent walk to the nearest cemetery.**

"**So Pet." Spike speaks up almost two hours later. "You and Dean huh?"**

"**Dean and I what?" I ask him, pretty sure at what he's hinting at, but I'm going to make him come out and say it. He's one of the few people I know who wont walk around on eggshells or bullshit me, so I refuse to let him get by with half questions.**

"**You and him have a lot of history?" He asks, grinning at me because he knows I knew what he was getting at. "Or is it present?"**

**I breath deeply and turn my face to the sky, with my eyes closed I let the rain run down my face and my hair starts getting drenched as my hood falls from my head. "Both I guess. I don't really know. He's the guy I run to when everything goes bad and he makes it all better, and I suppose I've always been in love with him, way before Angel even. But it could never work out between us, not with him always on the move. The longest span of time we've ever gotten to spend together was the summer I ran away and even that was sporadic at times with him having to occasionally disappear for one of his Dad's cases. Our relationship has always been one more complicated than either of us likes to let on. We've both dated other people, no reason not to, but the few times we met up and we were both single, it was always amazing and I'm telling you way more than you asked for." I say, suddenly opening my eyes to look at him standing in front of me watching me with his head cocked to the right. "Sorry."**

"**No worries Pet." He assures me, never moving his eyes from my own. "I don't mind hearing about you being in love with some other bloke, so long as you're talking to me I could care less what you're telling me." He pauses for a second before adding. "And no telling me about Captain Hairgel. I don't think my ego can take that." He grins, letting me no he's only teasing me.**

**I blush slightly and break his gaze to stare down at my feet for a second before I look back up at him. "Thank you Spike." I say and he raises his right eyebrow in a question. "Thank you for taking care of Dawn, for not leaving this summer, for keeping your promise, for being here for me. Thank you for listening when I need to talk and for just sitting in silence with me when I don't." I shrug at him slightly. "Just thank you for everything."**

**This time its him that breaks our eye contact to look at his shoes and I know that if he could be, he would be blushing right now as well. "S'nothing Pet. Just what you do for the ones you care about, and you and Dawn," He looks back up me, his sharp features made more pronounced by the rain glistening off his pale skin. "you two mean the world to me. Don't matter I can't call you mine, cause I'm yours."**

**I feel tears prickle at the backs of my eyelids and I know if I were to let them fall he could smell the salt in the air despite the rain so I sniffle, pulling them back. "We are yours Spike, maybe not in the way you wish we were, but we are your family and you're a part of our family." I step forward and place my hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. "Don't ever think that we aren't yours. We have been for a while. Granted, Dawn may have jumped on the train a little sooner than I did, but I'm riding right there along side her. As is Tara and so was Mom, even Anya occasionally hops on for a go around" Letting my hand drop from his shoulder I grin up at him. "Your train is getting pretty full."**

**He smiles at me and shakes his head. "You lot and your bloody analogies. Am I at least driving this train?"**

"**Of course you are." I say grinning widely at him. "Only the most insane are allowed to drive the crazy train."**

**He chuckles before reaching forward suddenly and pulling me into a tight hug. "Thank you." He whispers into my hair as I wrap my arms around his waist hugging him back.**

**Several hours later we stumble up onto the front porch again, this time we're both covered head to toe in mud and soaked through to the bone. Still glaring at him playfully I open the front door and we all but fall into the warm dry area closing the door behind us. "I can't believe you pushed me into another even bigger puddle." I pout at him while I peel off my hoodie and kick my shoes at the welcome mat.**

"**It was just too good of a chance to pass up." He tells me. "Had to see if it was as much fun tonight as it was last night."**

"**And was it?" I ask him, my hands on my hips my socked foot tapping on the wet floor.**

**He looks me up and down and nods his head. "It was more fun than last night was."**

**I huff at him. "So it was more fun than last night even though now you're covered in mud too?"**

**He glances down at himself, mud covering every inch of his leather coat and his usually bright blonde hair is a dirty brown. "It was worth it. Do it again in a heart beat Pet."**

**I just shake my head at him as Dawn and Dean finally meet us at the door. Dawn immediately starts laughing when she sees Spike and Dean chuckles at my own drowned rat look. He opens his mouth to say something but I cut him off pointing my finger at him. "Tread lightly mister." He throws his arms up in the universal sign of surrender. "That's what I thought." I smile lightly at Dawn who's recovering from her round of giggles and is wiping tears from her cheeks. "Dawnie, go grab Spike some towels will you?"**

**She nods before running up the stairs. "Okay, you," I point at Spike. "stay here until she gets back with towels. I'm gonna go change and take a quick shower. And then you." I point at Dean now. "are gonna help me make hot chocolate." With that I turn and follow Dawn's earlier trail upstairs, passing her as she comes out of the bathroom holding several towels and smiles widely at me as she heads back down the stairs.**

**Half an hour later I make my way downstairs, still pulling my wet hair up into a messy bun and dressed in sweats and an old Hemery High t-shirt, to find Sam, Dawn, and Spike sitting on the couch watching some old made for TV movie. I stop at the doorway and watch the three of them. Dawn's curled up against Spike's side, his arm around her shoulders, and her feet are on Sam's lap where he occasionally tickles her and she tries to kick him without taking her eyes off the screen. I smile to myself before heading into the kitchen where I assume Dean is. I find him sitting at the island, staring down at his hands intensely. Silently I move behind him to wrap my arms around his chest and rest my head on his shoulder. "Stop thinking so hard, it'll fry your brain. And while you are mostly just good looks, you occasionally have to remember who you're impersonating that day." I tell him quietly, and I have to smile when he chuckles at me. He turns his head slightly to give me a kiss of the cheek. "You wanna talk?" I ask him softly, not wanting to push, just wanting him to know that he can if he needs to.**

"**I don't know how to talk about it." He tells me, just as softly. "It scares me the things I did down there. And even though I know you saw all or most of it, I don't want you thinking less of me."**

**I sigh and rest my temple against his, feeling his pulse point pounding against my own. "Dean, no matter what you've done, I could never think less of you. I mean, you met Anya right?" He nods his head against mine. "She's over eleven hundred years old, and she spent all of that time finding new and creative ways to torture and kill unfaithful men, and not once has she felt bad about any of it. She will tell you stories until the end of time with a smile on her face. And Spike, well, lets just say he earned his nick-name and he also enjoyed every minute of it. Neither of them regret the horrors they inflicted on others, but both of them are trying to be better now and they're two of my closest friends. So believe me when I tell you, there's nothing you can do that will make me disown you or think horribly of you. And if you don't want to talk about it then by all means don't feel like you have to, but if you do, it might be easier with someone who knows what to expect."**

**He nods his head again before he reaches around and pulls me down to sit across his lap, my head resting on his chest with his arms around me holding me tightly to him. "When I'm ready to talk, I always know where to find you." I nod my head, bumping his chin lightly.**

"**You ready to help me with the hot cocoa now?" I tease him and grin as his chest vibrates against my face with his chuckle.**

"**I guess I can help." He says, helping me off his lap and standing with me, taking my hand in his. "Just tell me what to do boss lady." I laugh at him before I pull him around the counter and start bossing him around.**

**Ten minutes later we walk out into the living room with Dean carrying a tray of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows for everyone to have. After passing them all out, Dean sits down in the chair next to the couch and I get comfortable on the floor between his legs. Together the five us watch the end of the lame movie Dawn had picked out before we start one of the few we picked up from the video store on the way home earlier. Several movies later I'm the only one still awake and I can't help but look around the room at my family with a smile on my face. Spike's managed to fall asleep with his head against the back of the couch, Dawn's head in his lap with Sam mirroring him at the other end. We're all really truly messed up beyond repair, but at least we'll always have each other.**

**The next morning we all get up, with the exception of Spike, whom after making sure all the blinds where securely in place continues to sleep on the couch, and after getting dressed and made slightly presentable for public viewing head to the Dunkin Doughnuts to get breakfast before going to the Magic Box. Dawn and Sam rush in ahead of us, both their arms filled with doughnutie goodness and coffee, Dean and I make a much more subtle entrance, my arms wrapped around his waist and his slung over my shoulder. "Morning Giles." I greet Giles sitting at the table all of the food is being deposited onto. "Hey Anya." I smile at her behind the counter and she waves at me absentmindedly counting the register. I laugh quietly to myself before Dean and I separate to take seats at the table, effectively surrounding Giles.**

"**Buffy," Giles says my name, gaining my attention. "Do you mind if you and I talk for a bit, in the back?" He asks me, almost sounding nervous.**

**I nod my head before getting up from the table and following him into the training room. "What is it Giles?" I ask him.**

**He looks at me with sad eyes and I have to resist the urge to hug him. "Why didn't you tell me you were in heaven?" His voice cracks with emotion and I realize that he hadn't been present the day before, someone else must have filled him in, most likely Anya.**

"**It was too hard to think about," I tell him, tears pooling in my eyes. "let alone talk about. If Dean and Sam hadn't shown up I'm not sure I would have ever let you guys know."**

"**Oh Buffy." Giles wraps me in his arms, holding me tightly to his chest. "I wish I could undo everything Willow has put you through. They were such foolish children, I am so sorry you must suffer their consequences." He tells me quietly.**

"**It's not your fault Giles." I reassure him. "I know you never would have let them go through with it."**

"**I should have known better than to leave them here unattended." He says, disagreeing with me.**

"**Giles." I say his name sternly pulling out of his arms and taking hold of his shoulders. "They are grown adults, you could have told them no all you wanted they were mourning and they wouldn't have listened to a word you said. So don't even try to blame yourself, you've taught us all plenty enough over the years that they knew what they were doing was wrong, they just didn't care."**

**He shakes his head at me before offering a small smile. "Of course your right, they did know better. But I still can't help but to feel responsible for their actions. They, like yourself, are very much like my own children and any parent always feels as though their children's mistakes are the parents as well. You can't fault me for that."**

**I just smile at him and pull him into another hug. "No I suppose I can't, but I can kick your butt if you keep feeling like this is all your fault." He chuckles a little and we pull away from the hug, both of us smiling. "Now come on, you still have to meet Dean and Sam."**

"**Oh joy." He deadpans, following me back into the main part of the store where Anya is now dusting shelves and watching Dean, Sam and Dawn to make sure they don't drip jelly onto any of the merchandise. I honestly don't know how she manages to live with messy Xander. **

"**Hey guys." I say, getting the attention of the three of them. "Dean, Sam I want you to meet my watcher Giles. Giles I would like you to meet Dean and Sam Winchester."**

"**Good lord did you say Winchester?" Giles asks, his voice filled with curiosity and awe, something that doesn't happen often.**

"**Uh yeah." Dean answers him, his posture becoming defensive as he moves to stand slightly in front of Sam. "Why?"**

"**I knew your father." Giles explains, not failing to notice the protective stance. "He was an excellent man and a great hunter. I was sorry to hear of his death."**

**Sam moves around Dean to get closer to Giles. "You knew Dad? How?"**

"**We met through a contact we shared years ago, back when Buffy was still being trained by Merrick." Giles tells him. "In fact if I remember correctly, he had actually left you two with Merrick for a while the first time we met." He gets a far away look on his face for a second before he's back with us. "I was very interested in his having met a slayer and he was interested in some demon he had been tracking."**

"**You knew John?" I ask him.**

"**Yes." He answers me, looking at me oddly. "Why?"**

"**Why didn't you ever tell me you'd heard about me before we met? Why didn't you ever mention him?" I ask him, leaving him no room to answer one question before I ask the next. "Why have you never mention hunters to me? Didn't you think as the slayer I should know about them?"**

"**Buffy, if I'm not mistaken, you do know about them" He tells me, looking pointedly at Dean and Sam.**

"**You didn't know I knew. And you still should have said something to me. And if you knew John knew me, why didn't you say something when he died?"**

"**I didn't realize you'd been that close to him." Giles says, his voice softening. "If I had known I would have discussed it with you. And I never mentioned hunters because I knew that Merrick had gone over them with you and it would have been pointless for me to bring them up again."**

**I take a couple of deep breaths, calming myself again. "Sorry, Johns just a sensitive subject for me, and if I'd known you knew who he was I would have confided in you when he died."**

"**I apologize for not telling you I knew. I didn't like bringing up your time before Sunnydale." He says gently, his eyes soft and understanding. "I know how difficult it was for you to loose Merrick and I didn't like making you relive that time."**

**I smile at him wiping the tears that had started to pool in my eyes and I open my mouth to say something but I stop when I'm over come with such a feeling of pure joy and relief that I immediately forget what I was going to say. I recognize this feeling, this was how I had felt every time I was with... "Cas." I whisper, closing my eyes to simply enjoy the feeling his presence creates for me before opening my eyes to see him standing behind Sam and Dean looking at me with an expression filled with surprise.**

"**Buffy." His voice is deeper in this body than his real voice, but my soul would recognize him anywhere and I lunge at him, wrapping my arms around him as tightly as I can unafraid of hurting him and I sigh in contentment when he returns the hug, just as enthusiastically.**

"**I've missed you Cas." I tell him, my voice barely above a whisper.**

"**I have missed you as well Buffy." He tells me, his voice at a more normal level.**

"**Umm, Buff." I hear Xander's voice from behind where Castiel and I are hugging and I realize he must have just come in without me hearing him. "What is it with you and hugging men I've never met?" I can hear the joking tone in his voice so I'm not worried that he's angry, but I pull away from Castiel anyway, stepping back to look at him more fully. He looks like any normal Joe you'd find on the street except for the all knowing look in his eyes and the trench coat he's wearing in the middle of a California afternoon.**

"**What are you doing here Cas?" I ask him without answering Xander's question. If I know anything I know that he wont be here long and I can explain things later.**

"**I'm here to see Dean." He tells me, never taking his eyes off me.**

**I nod my head, understanding more than I'm supposed to. He's here to tell Dean about another seal he has to protect. Dean had never told me what he'd been "assigned" to do to earn his resurrection, but I'd known from the beginning. I'd known since he'd unknowingly broken the first seal in Hell, but I'd never told Dean that. He didn't need to know that he was what had started The Apocalypse. We stare at each other in silence for a couple more minutes before I speak up again. "How's Mikey?" I ask him, remembering Michael. He was the other angel I'd gotten close to during my time in "The Waiting Room". He hadn't had any charges at the time so he squandered away most of his time with Castiel and me.**

"**He's bored. Doesn't have anyone to bother with you gone." He tells me, his stoic face smiling down at me. "He misses you, almost as much as I do."**

"**Ahh Cas." I say, blushing slightly. "I miss you guys too."**

"**Cas, what are you doing here?" Dean asks from behind me, his patience apparently having run out. With one last look, Castiel looks up to take in the rest of the room, his eyes focusing on Dean.**

"**There is a seal, in Tulsa, Arizona." Castiel informs him, his voice returning to it's unemotional baritone. "You must leave tonight to make it in time."**

**Dean huffs a little, putting his hands in the pocket of his worn out jeans. "And what is this seal I have to protect?"**

"**I cannot tell you here." Castiel says, his eyes glancing around the room. "The Hellmouth has many ears."**

**"Hey!" Anya objects from behind the counter where her and Xander have been observing quietly.**

**"He doesn't mean you An" I tell her smiling reassuringly at her causing her to smile back. It was a little weird to have Anya as a friend rather than just as Xander's girlfriend. "He's referring to any number of demons, corporeal and non, that could be listening in on this. " I say, looking to Castiel for back up and my smile widens slightly when he nods in affirmation. I'm glad he didn't mean he couldn't trust my friends. Not that I've been to fond of them as of late myself, but even with all my anger towards them, I know I can still trust them with secrets. **

**"If it's such an important seal," Dean asks, bringing everyone's attention back to him. "why are you just getting around to telling us about it now?" His irritation showing quite clearly in not only his voice, but also in his stance. His shoulders have gotten even more tense since Castiel arrived and his voice is filled with malice. For a man who spent most of his life taking orders from his father, he really had issues with people telling him what to do.**

**"We just found out about it." Castiel tells him, his stance now matching Dean's. Castiel had problems with others doubting and questioning, him or any other Angel. **

**With a sigh I place my hand on Castiel's chest, causing him to look down at me, his face loosing it's impatience as soon as he see's the pleading in my eyes. He of all people (or angels for that matter) knows just how important Dean and Sam are to me, and how much I hate to watch Dean getting pushed around. He knew that I hated the entire deal between him and Heaven, but he also knew that it was this or Hell for the rest of all eternity and I couldn't take him being stuck in Hell while I watched from Heaven. He nods his head slightly at me, and a small smile appears on his borrowed lips before he looks back up at Dean. "Dean, we need you to protect this seal, as we need you to protect as many of them as you can. Lilith has already started on this one, we need you there as soon as possible. Please leave tonight or I will be forced to take you there myself." With a grunt, Dean nods his head before slumping down into a chair at the table, Sam following suit. They both look exhausted and I feel horrible that this wasn't anywhere near ending for them. **

**Castiel returns his eyes to mine before placing his hand gently on my cheek. Without thinking I close my eyes and lean into his hand. His touch brings back more memory of the peace that had been almost Heaven and it's hard for me to pull away from him, but I know I have to, Cas never stays in one place to long. If he's not Home he can't stand to be anywhere. After a moment I feel him slowly drop his hand and I open my eyes to see him staring intently down at me. "I must go." He whispers to me and I can hear the sorrow in his voice. I nod my head and reluctantly step away from him. Before I can get away he pulls me back to him, wrapping his arms around me again and I relax into this hug, savoring it as much as I can, knowing that I most likely wont see him again until my next demise. **

"**I miss you Cas." I whisper to him, feeling the tears well up in my eyes. **

"**I miss you as well Buffy." He tells me, his voice rough with emotion. "If you weren't undetectable to angels I would visit." He says, his voice taking on a slightly teasing nature. I'd been told in Almost Heaven that being the slayer had made it impossible for angels to know where I was until I was near death, and by near death they meant I'd stopped breathing.**

"**No you wouldn't." I tell him, slowly pulling out of his arms to look him in the eye again. "But it's a pretty thought." He smiles down at me, his eyes gentle and loving, and I can't help but feel a little better knowing that he is trying to make me feel better. **

**He steps away from me completely after a moment before glancing behind me to Dean sitting at the table. "Leave soon, please." And when I blink, he's gone. **

**I just shake my head and smile. Angels and their dramatic exits, always with the disappearing. "Damn angels." Dean mumbles and I can't help but giggle at him, causing him to offer me a small smile. "They love to give orders and disappear don't they?"**

**I nod, moving across the room to sit down at the table next to him, Sam and Dawn across from us. "They do indeed." I agree with him. "But you should meet Mikey, he's got a thing for making even more dramatic entrances. He likes to show off his huge wings and make sure that everyone around him knows that they're in the presence of not only an angel, but also The Angel."**

"**Mikey?" Sam asks me. "Who's Mikey?"**

**I smile at him gently, wiping the unshed tears from my eyes. "Mikey, or Michael as most people know him, is the angel that cast Lucifer from Heaven in the final battle."**

"**God Buff." Xander says from his spot next to Anya. "Is there anyone you don't know?" His voice still has it's teasing tone to it and I can't help but wonder if he's trying to get back on my good side. He might have finally noticed how cold and distant I've been lately.**

"**I never did meet God." I say, smiling reassuringly at him and I can't help but feel a little better when I see the tension he's had since Dean and Sam showed up ease from his shoulders as his smile became a genuine one.**

"**Bummer." He jokes. "You'd think that the slayer would get to meet the big guy."**

**I simply shrug at him, my smile still gracing my lips. "Meh, Mikey and Cas kept me company. I certainly can't complain."**

**He chuckles lightly. "I suppose not."**

**After a moment of silence, Xander and Anya go back to straightening up the shop, or should I say Anya goes back to straightening and Xander is following her around pretending to be helpful. I look across the table at Dawn and Sam talking quietly to each other and notice that they're holding hands, their fingers are entwined and it's looks so natural that I wonder if they even know they're doing it. Glancing at Dean he's staring at me intently and he tilts his head to the side slightly indicating the door to the training room. I nod and stand from the table, leading him back into the training room, but instead of stopping I continue on out to the alley way behind the shop, I suddenly feel the need to be outside in the sun.**

**We stand in silence for a minute, leaning against the building next to each other our sides touching only faintly before I speak up. "So I guess you'll be leaving." I hate that my voice catches towards the end revealing my emotion. I've always known that he wouldn't be here long, he never is, but it still hurts every time. **

"**I guess." He says, his voice hoarse with emotion as well and I can't help but feel relieved that I'm not the only one who hates it when he leaves. "But I'll be back," He continues, surprising me a little. "as soon as I can. After this seal if it's possible." I look over at him and he stands up straight from the wall and runs his hands through his hair before standing in front of me placing his hands on either side of my head effectively giving the illusion of trapping me, not that I'd want to move away from him. "I think I'm done looking for trouble. I think from now on, I'm going to be staying in one place. Let trouble come and find me." He lets out a long sigh and finally looks me in the eye. "I'm done leaving you." His voice is low and if I weren't the slayer I would have had to strain to hear him. "I don't think I can do it anymore. You," he sighs moving his right hand from beside my head to run his thumb across my cheek. "you're everything to me. You, Dawn and Sam are all I have left and I'm pretty sure that if you die again and I'm not here to try and save you or to stop your stupid friends from trying to bring you back again I will never forgive myself."**

**I stare at him in silence, his confession stunning me, running his words on loop through my head. He wanted to come back. To Sunnydale. To me? My brain was having some serious issues comprehending his statement. I must have been silent for too long because he dropped his hand from my face and made to move away. Instinctively I grabbed him by his shirt, keeping him where he is. "Only if you want me to." He tells me, breaking my silence, refusing to look me in the eye now. **

**I let go of his shirt with one hand to gently tug his chin up, forcing him to look me in the eye. "Of course I want you to. I've always wanted you here with me." I say, my voice even more shaky now. "Always." I whisper, tears threatening to spill. "But what about Sam? And the Seals?" I take a deep breath, I don't want to bring up all these questions, I just want to be able to tell him to stay with me, but I know he can't. As happy as it would make me to wake up everyday knowing I'll be able to see him I can't let him give up his entire life, everything he'd known, out of some need to make sure nothing happens to me again. "Hunting is in your blood, it's in your bones. One month here and you would be restless as hell and eventually you would resent me. I cant take that."**

**He looks back down at the ground and sighs heavily. He knows I'm right, doesn't mean he's happy to hear it. "Why do you have to be so rational all the time?" He asks, still staring intently at anything but me. **

**I shrug. "I blame Merrick and your dad. They drilled it into me to think everything through completely. I hate it sometimes, but it usually turns out for the best."**

"**Damn them." His voice is still heavy with emotion, but I know he's trying to lighten the mood. **

"**You know, that doesn't mean I don't want you to come back and visit like, soon." I tell him, pulling his face up again to meet mine. "If you want, you and Sam can start calling this place home base. Dawn and I would both love it if you guys came here to recharge after missions. If I'm not mistaken, I'm pretty sure Sam wont complain." I wink at him and he groans.**

"**Please don't say it, I'm trying to ignore the fact that those two have started actually flirting now. I hate that Dawn's legal." He leans his forehead against mine and rubs his nose gently back and forth against my own. "Okay, we'll be back after this seal. And after every seal and every hunt and every call for help." He closes his eyes, his body now leaning deliciously into my own, pushing me back against the wall. "And so long as it's okay with you and Dawn, we'll call your house home." I don't miss the fact that he leaves of the "base" part and I can't help but grin.**

"**Good." I tell him before moving forward ever so slightly and gently pressing my lips against his. Electricity runs through my body at the simple touch, as it always has, and takes my breath away immediately, leaving me craving more, but I know that more can't happen right now. Not if he has to leave soon, so I pull back before he can try to deepen the chaste kiss and wrap my arms around his waist, resting my head on his broad chest as his hands rub up and down my sides and he buries his face in my hair, kissing the top of my head. **

"**Come on." His voice is deep and quiet breaking the silence yet again. "I've got to go get Sam and we need to head out. The sooner we leave the sooner we'll be back." I nod against his chest and he pulls out of my arms to take my hand and lead me back inside.**

**An hour later I'm standing in front of him as he leans against the Impala, his bag is on the back seat and the engine is idling ready to go. I look at him, trying to take in as much of him as I can before he leaves, not trying to mask the tears that are running silently down my face. **

"**You know I hate it when you cry." He tells me quietly so that Dawn and Sam can't hear us from the other side of the car where they're saying their goodbyes.**

"**Yeah." I sniffle, giving him a watery smile. "But you'll live."**

**He just shakes his head at me before pulling me into his arms. "I'm gonna miss you Buffy." **

"**I always miss you Dean." I tell him. "Just make sure to come back and it'll be okay."**

"**I always come back baby."**

"**I know." With that I pull out of his arms completely, give him a kiss on the cheek and back away from the car so he can get in.**

"**Come on Bitch, we gotta go!" He yells half heartedly at Sam**

"**I'm coming, Jerk." Sam answers him before hugging Dawn quickly and climbing into the car. **

**Dawn comes to stand next to me on the lawn and I put my arm around her shoulders, pulling her into my side as we watch the Winchesters back out of our drive way and drive away from us. I hear Dawn sniffle and I kiss her on the top of her head before resting my cheek against hers. "They'll be back." I tell her, trying to offer comfort.**

"**I know." She tells me. "They always come back."**

**THE END**


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